Baggage marker



May 16, 1967 T. c. PELIKAN 3,319,756

BAGGAGE MARKER Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l [N VEN TOR.

y 6, 1967 T. c. PELIKAN 3,319,756

BAGGAGE MARKER Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN'IOR. 7176000 6G fi-uk BY United States Patent 3,319,756 BAGGAGE MARKER Theodore C.Pelikan, Los Robles 380, San Isidro, Lima, Peru Filed Aug. 19, 1965,Ser. No. 48tl,%1 7 Claims. (Cl. 194 -2) This invention relates to alabel making machine and more particularly to a coin-operated la'belembossing and dispensing machine.

Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced, particularlyin the field of mass public transportation such as the commercialairlines, for example, due to the number of pieces of baggage which arelost annually. It has been estimated that of the order of magnitude of2,500 pieces of baggage are considered lost at any given time. It willbe appreciated that a jet airliner may carry over 100 passengers with atotal of about 300 pieces of baggage which must be handled under rushconditions for each flight. Inevitably, the airlines baggage tag may betorn off some of this baggage which then becomes lost. According to myinvention, a label indicating the name and address of the owner ispermanently affixed to each piece of baggage. In this manner, it becomesa simple matter for the airlines to return the stray baggage to theirrightful owners, thereby relieving the airlines of a major problem aswell as satisfying the passengers.

A label making machine constructed according to the concepts of myinvention is particularly adapted, among other possible uses, forsupplying labels that may be afiixed to inter alia, suitcases,briefcases, hat boxes, coats, lining of fur coats and inside hat bands,for example.

Briefly, my invention contemplates the provision of a new and improvedlabel making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing stationdisposed within the housing for selecting characters to be embossed uponthe tape. This machine further includes a tape feed wheel for advancingthe tape past the embossing station and motive means for the tape feedwheel. Also, a coin operated rack means is provided which selectivelyrestrains movement of the tape feed Wheel depending upon whether or nota coin has been deposited.

My invention, in one form thereof, contemplates the provision of a labelmaking machine comprising a housing, a tape embossing station disposedwithin said housing, and a die bar positioned adjacent the embossingstation for selecting characters to be embossed upon the tape. Further,a portion of the housing adjacent the embossing station is fabricatedfrom transparent material such as clear plastic, and an illuminatingmeans such as an electric light bulb is positioned internally of saidhousing for purposes of allowing the operator to visually observe thetape immediately after embossing .a character thereon in order thatcorrection may be effected, if necessary. The label making machinefurther comprises a tape supply source, means for advancing the tapepast the embossing station which includes a tape drive Wheel, a ratchetwheel, a pinion gear, and means for mounting the drive wheel and ratchetwheel and pinion gear for common rotation. Further, there is provided anembossing handle lever, a pawl connected to the embossing handle leverfor rotating the ratchet wheel in one direction in order to advance thetape one increment. A rack having a hooked end is mounted for reciprocalsliding movement, said rack being so disposed that itengages 3,3l9,756Patented May 16, 1967 the pinion gear for movement in one direction, andmeans are provided for disengaging the rack and pinion gear when inmovement in the opposite direction. A coin slide extends from thesidewall of the housing inwardly into the housing beneath the rack. Thiscoin slide is mounted for reciprocal sliding movement in a directionparallel to the axis of the rack, the coin slide carrying a strikerplate for engaging the hooked end of the rack in order to urge the rackin said opposite direction, whereby upon insertion of a coin apreselected length of tape becomes available to the operator of themachine for embossing characters thereon.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a newand improved label making machine which upon actuation by means ofdepositing a coin therein serves to reliably and successfully dispensetape therefrom having selected characters embossed thereon.

As another feature of the invention, there is provided a tape embossingmachine which is easy to operate, which provides simple means for theoperator to select characters to be embossed on said tape, and whichemploys improved means for detecting and correcting errors occurringduring operation.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a newand improved tape embossing machine which is economical to manufacture,which is compact, and which is durable and easy to maintain.

There has thus been outlined rather broadly the more important featuresof the invention in order that the detailed description thereof thatfollows may be better understood, and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which thisdisclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designingof other structures for carrying out the several purposes of theinvention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded asincluding such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spiritand scope of the invention.

A specific embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a label making machine constructed inaccordance with the concept of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the machine members in theirrespective positions subsequent to the last embossing operation andprior to insertion of an actuating coin;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing themachine members in their respective positions subsequent to the partialinsertion of the coin slide;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 but showing the machinemembers in their respective positions subsequent to the insertion of theactuating coin slide, whereby the machine is ready for the embossingoperation; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing theinterrelationship between the pinion gear, the tape feed wheel, and theratchet wheel and pawl.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, there is shown a housing19 which is mounted on a sidewall 12 in an airline terminal, forexample, by means of support members 14, as best seen in FIG. 1. Themachine has a supply of tape such as a tape roll 16, FIG. 2, which ispositioned within the housing 10, and from which tape 18 is fed past adrive wheel 20, through an embOssing station 22 and discharged from themachine through an outlet opening 24 in the housing 10. Any suitabletype of embossable tape may be employed. Preferably, the tap is flexibleand has an adhesive coating on one surface with a removable protectivebacking thereagainst, so that the tape may be safely stored in themachine for a substantial period of time, but which upon being dispensedmay have the protective backing removed to expose the adhesive coatingfor ready adherence to baggage, or the like.

Referring again to FIG. 1, there is mounted on the upper portion of thehousing a die bar 26 having a series of characters disposed thereon.This bar is adapted for manual transverse movement by means of knobs 28mounted on the ends thereof for purposes of selecting the desiredcharacter to be embossed upon the tape. It is noted that the housing 10is provided with pointer means 29 which serve to indicate to theoperator which character is in position for embossing. A portion of thehousing 10 adjacent the embossing station 22 is fabricated fromtransparent material such as clear plastic so that the operator mayimmediately visualize the last preceding character embossed upon thetape 18 to determine whether or not correction is required.

As best seen in FIGS. 2-4, illuminating means, such as an electric lightbulb 32, is mounted on the inside of the housing 10 in order toilluminate the tape during the embossing operation, thereby assistingthe operator.

The machine is further provided with a pistol grip 34 and a pivotallymounted embossing handle lever 36 which serves to actuate the embossingmeans disposed in the embossing station 22. Lever 36 also serves toactuate means for feeding the tape 18 through the machine as will bedescribed more fully hereinafter. A cut-off trigger 38 is provided forpurposes of severing the tape after completion of the embossingoperation.

Referring now to FIG. 5, means are provided for advancing the tape pastthe embossing station comprising the tape feed wheel 20, a ratchet wheel40 and knob 42 having external teeth 44 which are adapted to engageinternal teeth 46 of pinion gear 48. The knob 42, tape feed wheel andratchet wheel may be fabricated from a single piece of material or theymay be fixedly connected one to the other. As may be seen, the piniongear 48 is fixedly connected to the knob 42, and therefore, the feedwheel 20, ratchet Wheel 40 and pinion gear 48 all have common rotation.Still referring to FIG. 5, the embossing handle lever 36 is providedwith a depending pawl 50 which is adapted to engage and cause rotationof the ratchet wheel 40 in one direction which, in turn, causes rotationof the feed wheel 20 in the same direction, and thereby urges the tape18 to move through the machine in a series of increment movements orsteps.

As best seen in FIGS. 2-4, a coin slide 52 slidably disposed withincarrier member 54, having integral therewith an escutcheon plate 56secured to Wall 58 of the housing 10, serves as the control element forthe operating mechanism. As the coin slide 52 is moved from itsoutermost position, as indicated in FIG. 2, to its innermost position asindicated in FIG. 4, the inner end or striker plate 60 engages aninclined surface 61 of a hooked end 62 of an elongated bar rack 64. Thehousing 10 is provided with two substantially horizontally extendingslot-like slideways 66 and 68. A pin 70 is mounted on one end of therack 64 and is adapted for sliding movement in the slideway 66. A secondpin 72 is carried in slot 74 at the other end of rack 64 and is adaptedto slidably move in slideway 68 in the housing 10. A spring 76 isprovided for resiliently urging the rack 64 upwardly with respect to thepin 72 and housing 10 in order to engage the teeth 65 of the rack withthe teeth 67 of the pinion gear 48.

In operation a coin is deposited in the coin slide 52 and the coin slideis manually moved from its outermost position as viewed in FIG. 2 to itsposition as viewed in FIG. 3. That is, the striker plate 60 engages theinclined surface 61 of the hook portion 62 and thereby urges the rack 64downwardly against the spring force 76 to disengage the teeth 65 of therack 64 from the teeth 67 of the pinion 48. Having thus disengaged theteeth, continued inward movement of the coin slide 52 readily moves therack 64 inwardly from its position as shown in FIG. 3 to its innermostposition as shown in FIG. 4. The coin slide is then released andreturned to its outer position. As seen in FIG. 4, due to the locationof the slideways 66 and 68, and due to the resilient action of thespring 76, teeth 65 of the rack 64 engage teeth 67 of the pinion gear 48during the entire return stroke of the rack. The machine is now readyfor the embossing operation. The operator selects a character to beembossed upon the tape on the die bar 26 by means of transverselysliding the bar to centrally position the so-selected character in theembossing station 22. Thence, the embossing handle lever 36 is squeezedto effect the embossing of the so-selected character upon the tape. Asseen in FIG. 5, movement of the embossing handle lever 36 causes thepawl 50 to index the ratchet wheel 40 a partial revolution, therebyturning the tape feed wheel 20 a corresponding partial revolution toadvance the tape an increment through the machine. Movement of theratchet Wheel 40 also causes a corresponding movement of the pinion gear48 which in turn causes movement of the rack 64 from the left to theright as viewed in FIG. 4. The embossing operation is continuallyrepeated for embossing a complete name and address, or other indicia,upon the tape, and for each letter embossed the rack is moved anincrement to the right as viewed in FIG. 4. After the rack 64 has movedfrom its position as seen in FIG. 4 to its position as seen in FIG. 2,the pins 70 and 72 engage the ends of their respective slideways 66 and68, thereby stopping movement of the rack to the right as viewed in FIG.2. This, in turn, locks the pinion gear 48 and the tape feed wheel 20 sothat no more tape may be embossed unless another coin is inserted in thecoin slide 52. The tape may be severed, by actuation of the cut-offtrigger 38, and removed from the machine. The device is now ready forreceiving the next coin and repeating the entire cycle of operation.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I contribute by myinvention a new and improved coin operated label making machine whichreliably and successfully dispenses labeling tape with selectedcharacters embossed thereon.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention is herein disclosedfor purposes of explanation, further modification thereof, after studyof this specification, will be apparent to those skilled in the art towhich this invention pertains. Reference should accordingly be had tothe appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossingstation, embossing means disposed in said embossing station, a handlelever for actuating said embossing means, means for advancing said tapepast said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, motive meansfor said tape feed wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feedwheel and pinion gear for common rotation, a rack mounted for reciprocalsliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gearfor a series of step movements in one direction and to be in disengagedposition with respect to said pinion gear when in movement in theopposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing beneathsaid rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement substantiallyparallel to.

5 the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged to engagesaid rack for urging said rack in said opposite direction, whereby onecoin is deposited for releasing a series of embossing steps.

2. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossingstation, embossing means disposed in said embossing station, a handlelever for actuating said embossing means, means for advancing said tapepast said embossing station comprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchetWheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and ratchetwheel and pinion gear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, apawl connected to said embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchetwheel in one direction for advancing said tape one increment throughsaid machine, a rack mounted for reciprocal sliding movement, said rackbeing arranged to engage said pinion gear for a series of step movementscorresponding to embossing steps in one direction and to be indisengaged position with respect to said pinion gear when in movement inthe opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housingadjacent said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movementsubstantially parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slidebeing arranged to engage said rack for urging said rack in said oppositedirection, whereby one coin is deposited for releasing a series ofembossing steps.

3. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossingstation, means for advancing said tape past said embossing stationcomprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, meansmounting said tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear forcommon rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to saidembossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one directionfor advancing said tape one increment through said machine, a rackhaving a hooked end portion, said housing having a pair of horizontallydisposed slot-like slideways, said rack having transversely disposed pinmembers for sliding in said slotlike slideways for guiding said rack inreciprocal sliding movement, said rack being arranged to engage saidpinion gear for movement in one direction, means for disengaging saidrack and pinion gear when said pinion gear is in movement in theopposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housing adjacentsaid rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement substantiallyparallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slide being arranged toengage said hooked end of said rack for urging said rack in saidopposite direction.

4. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossingstation, a tape supply source, means for advancing said tape past saidembossing station comprlsmg a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a piniongear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and ratchet wheel and piniongear for common rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected tosaid embossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in onedirection for advancing said tape one increment through said machme, arack having a hooked end portion with an inclined surface, said housinghaving a pair of slot-like slideways, a pin transversely mounted on oneend of said rack for slidably engaging one of said slideways, said rackhaving a vertically extending slot at the other end of said rack, asecond pin mounted in said vertically extending slot, said second pinalso slidably engaging the other of sand slideways, resilient meansdisposed in said vertically extending slot for urging said rack upwardlywith respect to said pin in said slot, whereby said rack engages sa dpmion gear for movement in one direction, a coin slide extending intosaid housing beneath said rack and mounted for reciprocal slidingmovement parallel to the axis of said rack, and a striker plateconnected to the inside end of said coin slide for engaging saidinclined surface of said hooked end of said rack for urging said rackdownwardly to disengage said rack with respect to said pinion gear andfor urging said rack in said opposite direction.

5. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embosing station,embossing means disposed in said embossing station, a handle lever foractuating said embossing means, a die bar disposed adjacent saidembossing station for selecting characters to be embossed upon saidtape, means for advancing said tape past said embossing stationcomprising a tape feed wheel, motive means for said tape feed wheel, apinion gear, means mounting said tape feed wheel and said pinion gearfor common rotation, a rack mounted for reciprocal sliding movement,said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for a series of stepmovements corresponding to embossing steps in one direction and to be indisengaged position with respect to said pinion gear when in movement inthe opposite direction, a coin slide extending into said housingadjacent said rack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movementsubstantially parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slidebeing arranged to engage said rack for urging said rack in said oppositedirection, whereby one coin is deposited for releasing a series ofembossing steps.

6. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossingstation, a die bar disposed adjacent said embossing station forselecting characters to be embossed upon said tape, a portion of saidhousing adjacent said embossing station being transparent, illuminatingmeans for lighting the tape adjacent said embossing station, a tapesupply source, means for advancing said tape past said embossing stationcomprising a tape feed wheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, meansmounting said tape feed Wheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear forcommon rotation, an embossing handle lever, a pawl connected to saidembossing handle lever for indexing said ratchet wheel in one directionfor advancing said tape one increment through said machine, a rackhaving a hooked end portion mounted for reciprocal sliding movement,said rack being arranged to engage said pinion gear for movement in onedirection and to be in disengaged position with respect to said piniongear when in movement in the opposite direction, a coin slide extendinginto said housing beneath said rack and mounted for reciprocal slidingmovement parallel to the axis of said rack, and said coin slide beingarranged to engage said hooked end of said rack for urging said rack insaid opposite direction.

7. A label making machine comprising a housing, a tape embossingstation, an elongated substantially rectangular shaped die bar, said diebar being mounted on said housing for transverse horizontal movementwith respect to the direction of tape feed for selecting characters tobe embossed upon said tape, a portion of said housing adjacent saidembossing station being transparent, illuminating means for lighting thetape adjacent said embossing station, a tape supply source, means foradvancing said tape past said embossing station comprising a tape feedwheel, a ratchet wheel, a pinion gear, means mounting said tape feedwheel and ratchet wheel and pinion gear for common rotation, anembossing handle lever, a pawl connected to said embossing handle leverfor indexing said ratchet wheel in one direction for advancing said tapeone increment through said machine, a rack having a hooked end portionwith an inclined surface, said housing having a pair of slot-likeslideways, a pin transversely mounted on one end of said rack forslidably engaging one of said slideways, said rack having a verticallyextending slot at the other end of said rack, a second pin mounted insaid vertically extending slot, said second pin also slidably engagingthe other of said slideways, resilient means disposed in said verticallyextending slot for urging said rack upwardly with respect to said pin insaid slot, whereby said rack engages said pinion gear for movement inone direction, a coin slide extending into said housing beneath saidrack and mounted for reciprocal sliding movement parallel to the axis ofsaid rack, and a striker plate connected to the inside end of said coinslide for engaging said inclined surface of said hooked end of said rackfor urging rack downwardly 2,142,009 to disengage said rack with respectto said pinion gear 2,271,073 and for urging said rack in said oppositedirection. 6

References Cited by the Examiner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,615,1711/1927 Heene 1976.7

1,796,370 3/1931 Hochriem et a1.

8 Siebert 1976.2 Harris. Gray. Bremer 19767 ROBERT B. REEVES, PrimaryExaminer.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner.

1. A LABEL MAKING MACHINE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A TAPE EMBOSSING STATION, EMBOSSING MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID EMBOSSING STATION, A HANDLE LEVER FOR ACTUATING SAID EMBOSSING MEANS, MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID TAPE PAST SAID EMBOSSING STATION COMPRISING A TAPE FEED WHEEL, MOTIVE MEANS FOR SAID TAPE FEED WHEEL, A PINION GEAR, MEANS MOUNTING SAID TAPE FEED WHEEL AND PINION GEAR FOR COMMON ROTATION, A RACK MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCAL SLIDING MOVEMENT, SAID RACK BEING ARRANGED TO ENGAGE SAID PINION GEAR FOR A SERIES OF STEP MOVEMENTS IN ONE DIRECTION AND TO BE IN DISENGAGED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID PINION GEAR WHEN IN MOVEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, A COIN SLIDE EXTENDING INTO SAID HOUSING BENEATH SAID RACK AND MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCAL SLIDING MOVEMENT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID RACK, AND SAID COIN SLIDE BEING ARRANGED TO ENGAGE SAID RACK FOR URGING SAID RACK IN SAID OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WHEREBY ONE COIN IS DEPOSITED FOR RELEASING A SERIES OF EMBOSSING STEPS. 